I don't think the OP is talking about sentient artificial people like Cylons or Blade Runner replicants. He is talking about highly advanced industrial automation. IOW, why would you design an advanced automobile factory robot to want to "become human" like in the Sci Fi movies? You'd design it to want to stamp car bumpers all day.

The answer to this question is obvious to any engineer. Why would you design a factory robot to want to become human ? Because you can, and it would make the other engineers go "Cool !".